Size matters when it comes to cruise ship spas

by Ralph Grizzle on

Spas are becoming increasingly important to both cruise lines and cruise line passengers who want to pamper themselves.

For their part, cruise lines not only are engaging in the battle of the biggest but also are working to heighten anticipation among cruise passengers.

This year, two new cruise ships laid claim to having the largest spas at sea.

First out was the German operator AIDA Cruises. In February, the line boasted that the brand new AIDAblu’s 28,000-square-feet Body & Soul Spa took the prize for the biggest sea-going spa. Then in June, Norwegian Cruise Line took the lead with the 31,000-square-foot Mandara Spa (pictured) on Norwegian Epic.

To give its passengers a taste of what they might experience on board, one of Italy’s major cruise lines has put its offerings online. Costa Cruises has developed a mini-site that allows visitors to browse the line’s Samsara Spa menu.

The site, www.samsaraspa.com, features videos and more from the Samsara Spas found on five of Costa’s ships. Costa’s Samsara site offers detailed descriptions of the varied treatments and spa stateroom alternatives in the Samsara Spa area on Costa’s ships.

Man overboard! Passenger falls off Bahamas cruise ship

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The Coast Guard has given up its search for a 39-year-old Norwegian Cruise Line passenger off the Bahamas. The man fell off the boat early yesterday morning, approximately 60 miles north of Nassau. Though he hasn’t been identified, other passengers saw him take the plunge.

Other cruise ships in the area contributed to the search for this lone moron passenger. But, at 8 PM yesterday, the Coast Guard said it was suspending the search after having scoured 590 square miles.

Clearly, it pays not to get too close to the edge of the ship … unless being on a boat isn’t your idea of going out to sea.

UPDATE: Our hearts go out to the family of the victim. We are sorry for your loss.

Roll the dice with “job-loss guarantees”

by Tom Johansmeyer on

It makes a lot of sense right now. You have a job, and you’re feeling comfortable in it. You’ve survived the latest round of layoffs, and it looks like the bleeding has stopped for a while. Or, you’re just so stressed out you throw caution to the wind and book a vacation, just so you can recharge a bit.

But, you aren’t reckless.

Because we all live and work in a world at financial risk, you had the presence of mind to take advantage of a “job-loss guarantee.” If you lose your job, you get your money back … maybe. It turns out that guarantees aren’t always guaranteed. Several travel companies – including JetBlue and Norwegian Cruise Line – the rules are being tweaked.

Defining “job” can be the tough part. Several programs require that you be employed for at least a year at your current gig and that it be full-time. But, it varies. Check the terms and conditions before you bank on this benefit.

“Job loss” can be tricky, as well. If you were laid off, you seem to be in the best position to recoup what you’ve paid. But, if you were fired for cause, some programs may not pay. According to JetBlue, for example, “The spirit of the program is to accommodate those who have involuntarily lost their jobs due to the economy.” Resignations and buyout programs, also, may not qualify under some job-loss guarantee programs.

Be prepared to prove that you have lost your job. Chances are you’ll find something in the stack of paper that Human Resources gives you (usually your termination letter).

These programs can be helpful, but read the fine print. If you’re at all worried, spend your day off on your front stoop and hold onto your cash for a more stable time.

Norwegian Cruise Lines: Woman falls overboard, presumed dead

by Jeffrey White on

Cruise lines undoubtedly have many ways to pass the time, including, on some, rock climbing walls.

But Mindy Jordan, a 46-year-old passenger on a Norwegian Cruise Lines ship, apparently wanted a different kind of climbing challenge: While trying to climb between balconies this past Sunday, as the ship made its way through a bad storm, she fell overboard off the coast of Atlantic City, NCL officials told the media.

The Coast Guard scoured the area for seven hours before calling off the search because of the storm. The woman is presumed dead.

The cruise was heading from New York City to Bermuda.

Jordan’s boyfriend called her family from the ship to report the accident.

Norwegian Cruise Lines sued over barring family from ship’s theme restaurants

by Jeffrey White on

Norwegian Cruise Lines is being sued by a California family for not properly disclosing in its vacation fine print that it is nearly impossible to get dinner reservations at the themed restaurants on board the company’s Norwegian Star, since the reservations usually go to passengers who have paid for more expensive cabins.

Eva Gularte is suing NCL on behalf of herself, her sister and her mother, who had not, it appears, booked into a top flight package on the Norwegian Star. The lawsuit was filed in Fort Lauderdale, where NCL is headquartered, on Monday, according to the Miami Herald.

Gularte wants full refunds for her and her family, plus “incidental costs.” Her lawyer is even trying to get class action status for the lawsuit, so other passengers shut out of the Star’s dining rooms can have their day in court.

No word yet on whether the Gularte family was allowed to eat at all while on board.

Question: Is it right to give better perks, like priority seating at restaurants, to cruise passengers who pay more money?

Next time, skip the cruise and stay in one of these weird hotels: